Campfire Carnitas

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Ingredients

  • 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder

  • 4 teaspoons kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon per pound of meat

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

  • 1 white onion, sliced

  • 1 Fresno chili pepper, seeded and halved, or more to taste

  • 6 garlic cloves, skin on

Directions

  1. Cut pork into 2-inch pieces. Stack 2 (7x10x3-inch) disposable foil baking pans and transfer in the pork. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano, and toss with your hands until everything is evenly coated.

  2. Cover the pan with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, and crimp tightly around the edges. Place on top of another large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, and then wrap the foil up over the pan. All seams should be rolled facing up. Repeat with 2 more sheets of aluminum foil.

  3. Place pan next to a campfire, or in a charcoal grill, and arrange the burning coals evenly around the pan. Wrap a sheet pan in foil, place over the pan, and arrange some charcoal on top. 

  4. Use a probe or laser thermometer to check the temperature on the surface of the bottom pan, as well as the ambient temperature next to the pan. Try to maintain a constant temperature of between 250 to 300 degrees F (120 to 150 degrees C). To do this, move charcoal further away or closer to the pan as needed. If cooking next to a campfire and the pan is getting more heat from one direction than the other, rotate the pan occasionally. Cook until falling-apart tender, 4 to 5 hours.